


Leading Women

by wendymr



Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: F/F, Undercover As Gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-08
Updated: 2015-01-08
Packaged: 2018-03-06 14:55:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3138419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wendymr/pseuds/wendymr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“I don’t normally get involved in investigations, other than at a high level. But on this occasion I felt I needed to — and I need a partner.” </i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Leading Women

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fire_juggler](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fire_juggler/gifts).



> For fire_juggler: I hope this meets your request for more F/F tropefic! 
> 
> With MANY thanks to divingforstones for BRing and holding my hand through my first femslash fic.
> 
> * * *

“Thank you for seeing me at such short notice, Laura. And I appreciate your discretion.”

“Since you asked if we could make it after-hours, but in my office, I assumed it was something confidential.” Laura closes the blinds, ensuring privacy just in case anyone else is still on the premises. It also has the effect of creating an intimate atmosphere within the small office. But she pushes that thought aside. “What is it, Jean? I warn you, if it is something medical — other than the Dynamic Duo increasing your headache count again — I may not be your best option.”

Jean inclines her head. “I realise your expertise is with the dead. And, no, it’s not a medical problem.”

Laura’s eyes widen. “What, then?”

Jean takes a seat. “You know that I’ve occasionally... co-opted... certain senior officers as stand-ins for Mr Innocent.”

Lips twitching, Laura has to struggle to keep her tone even. “I was aware, yes.”

“And have had to listen to numerous complaints from Robbie on the subject, I’m sure. The truth is that I need a permanent stand-in, but that’s beside the point. For now, I need...” Jean pauses, and Laura feels herself being watched and assessed. “A woman.”

It’s no surprise to Laura that Mr Innocent appears to be out of the picture; she’s strongly suspected for some time that he’s been thus for a number of years. But... “A woman?”

Jean plays with a strand of her hair; Laura’s initially transfixed, but forces herself to look away. Jean Innocent didn’t get to be a Detective Chief Superintendent for nothing. “I don’t normally get involved in investigations, other than at a high level. But on this occasion I felt I needed to — and I need a partner.” 

Laura nods, though so far none of this is making sense. “Well, I’m happy to help, if you feel I could be useful.”

“Oh, you most certainly can be.” Jean leans forward. “I need hardly emphasise that this is extremely confidential. And you’re completely at liberty to say no. You’re not a police officer, after all.”

No, she isn’t, which is why this must be absolutely a last resort for Jean. “Go on.”

“There is an organisation for women business leaders in Oxford — business and social networking; you know the sort of thing.” Laura nods; she’s been to similar events for doctors, of course. “I am a member — good PR, if nothing else — though I haven’t had an opportunity to attend any of the meetings in the last couple of years. Earlier today, I received a call from the president.”

There’ve been two attacks in the last couple of months on lesbian couples in the city. One had been reported in the Mail, though not much information was provided in the article. The new information Jean has obtained today, though, is that in one case both women were members of Leading Women and were at the Business After Five event together and, in the other, the member had brought her partner to a social event. 

It’s by no means certain that membership of Leading Women is the relevant factor here — but, as Jean says, it’s the only common link between the two couples, and therefore it’s the only solid lead they have. Also, the dates match up; in each case, the attack was within a day or two of the meetings attended by the women.

“I’m the obvious person to follow this up,” Jean says. “Given I’m already a member, even if I haven’t been around much recently, I can be on the inside far more easily than any other officers.” 

That makes sense — and Laura’s now certain as to where this is going. “And you need me to play the role of your partner?”

“Yes. First and foremost, because I trust you. I also think — and I hope you won’t be offended — that you’d be more convincing than anyone else I could consider.” 

Ah, so Jean does know — or at least suspects. Laura’s wondered now and then, over the years. Yes, as far as Jean, or anyone in the Oxford Police or local NHS, is aware, Laura has only ever had romantic relationships with men; but that’s only because she’s always been discreet about her relationships with women, conducting them away from Oxford for the most part. Not from any embarrassment about being bisexual, but from a purely practical perspective. It’s difficult enough for a woman to be successful in the male-dominated world of medicine, but harder still when you’re attracting attention for something else that has nothing to do with your ability to do your job.

Though, of course, she has occasionally wondered how that might change if she ever met someone on home ground she’s both attracted to and might be attracted to her...

“And?” she prompts; there are clearly more reasons why Jean’s choosing to step outside the police force for this.

“I’m obviously known in the organisation, as is what I do. If I turned up to an event with another police officer as a partner, there might be suspicions. And it wouldn’t be credible, either: I can hardly date a subordinate. Therefore, it has to be someone outside the force — but I wouldn’t want to drag someone into a potentially dangerous situation who has no understanding of what this kind of operation could be like. You’ve been around the police long enough not to be frightened off by the prospect of a bit of trouble, I think?” Before Laura can answer, Jean continues, leaning even closer to Laura. “I haven’t forgotten what happened to you a couple of years ago. I can’t promise you won’t be harmed in any way, assuming the attacks are linked to Leading Women, but I will do my very best to protect you.”

Laura’s no fool; that’s not just concern in Jean’s eyes. She reaches out and lays her hand on Jean’s arm. “If you want me, I’m your woman.”

* * *

They’re going to a Business After Five social, a cocktails and chit-chat event that Jean says she’d normally avoid like the plague unless there were an important reason to be there. Laura left work early to get ready, and it’s been arranged that Jean will pick her up at home, and she’ll come early to discuss strategy. Laura’s membership of Leading Women has already been approved — as senior Home Office pathologist for the Oxfordshire police, she meets the criteria.

“I don’t think we need to be direct,” Jean suggests, after nodding approvingly at Laura’s best ‘schmoozing’ outfit, worn to great effect at recent John Radcliffe events. “Not that I’d have any objection to holding hands, but I think it might be...” She frowns.

“Too obvious?” Jean nods. “Also rather unprofessional,” Laura continues. “Do you know anything about how the other couples were behaving?”

Jean’s quick smile of approval sets Laura’s heart fluttering. She looks away; if she’s wrong about the potential here, she doesn’t want to risk getting hurt — or letting Jean glimpse her interest.

“Nothing obvious at the Business After Five event, according to the president. She says you’d have had to be looking closely to notice any signs that they were a couple. Though, of course, that doesn’t include anything that might have happened in the toilets, or outside in the car park, or whatever. The second couple — well, it was a dinner and dance, so two women dancing together would be rather noticeable.”

“Well, yes.” Laura moves closer to Jean, arms almost brushing, and glances up at her with a half-smile. “Like this?”

Jean’s eyes soften, and her lips curve up slightly at the corners. “I knew you wouldn’t need a lot of coaching. So, shall we go?”

* * *

The meeting’s already in full swing at the Malmaison when Laura and Jean walk in together — a deliberate strategy, as Jean explains on the way. The more people who see them arrive, the better. 

They do make a striking couple, even if Laura says so herself. Jean with her dark hair, and the red and black two-piece she’s worn for the occasion, contrasts nicely with Laura’s fair hair and royal blue trouser-suit. They’re close enough so that their arms brush as they walk, and each time Jean speaks to Laura she dips her head, creating a moment of intimacy. Once they’re mingling with other attendees, Jean is completely professional — yet those little hints that they’re more than colleagues continue.

It’s absolutely delightful, and entirely frustrating at the same time. Laura’s always found Jean Innocent attractive. It’s not just who Jean is, though confident, capable women who know what they want and go for it, especially in a man’s world, have always appealed. It’s the woman herself: beautiful, of course, and also with a sly sense of humour that Laura’s always appreciated — particularly when it applies to officers like Lewis, Hathaway, Peterson and one or two others.

The room’s starting to thin out when Jean’s hand brushes Laura’s, sending a frisson through her. “I think we can leave now,” Jean murmurs, dipping her head closer to Laura’s again. 

“Might as well.” Laura falls into step with Jean and the two of them stroll out of the function-room, nodding and smiling in farewell to the remaining members.

“Just in case we’re being watched.” Jean glides her hand over Laura’s back as they walk down the steps and out into the cobbled courtyard. Laura glances at Jean and smiles, warm and encouraging. Jean smiles back, then checks something on her mobile and puts the phone away without explaining.

In the car, Jean looks across at Laura before starting the engine. “Can I take you to dinner?”

“You think we need to be seen together somewhere else?”

Jean smiles slightly and looks away. “No. I just thought... dinner might be nice.”

Ah. So she wasn’t wrong. Laura’s own smile widens. “Dinner would be _very_ nice, Jean. I’d like that very much.”

Now, Jean looks back at her. “You’re sure? I know you don’t usually like to be seen out with women here in Oxford.”

Laura shrugs. “For a long time, it was... easier, true. And if I ever hoped to persuade Robbie — well, he might not have understood.”

Jean snorts. “Pots and kettles spring to mind.”

“Indeed.” Laura grins. “I am happy for him and James, you know. They’re surprisingly good for one another.”

Jean starts the engine. “Astonishingly so. Not what I ever expected when I agreed to James becoming Robbie’s bagman. If you’d asked me then, I’d have said they’d last a month, no more. And now... well, although they’ve presented me with one hell of an administrative headache to find a way they can still work together, I can’t imagine either of them without the other.”

After deciding on their choice of restaurant — an upmarket Italian that’s been getting very good reviews — Laura asks, “What about the case?” She’s got a sneaking suspicion that something’s happened she isn’t aware of, and that it happened some time between walking out of the hotel and getting into the car.

They’re stopped at traffic lights, and Jean gives her an assessing glance before answering. “I’m expecting a call, probably within the next half-hour, to tell me an arrest has been made.”

“Oh?” Laura casts her mind back. As they came out of the hotel, there’d been a couple of smokers standing to the right of the door, but she hadn’t thought they’d paid her and Jean any notice at all. But... “The gardener?” she suggests; the man weeding the large planters to the left of the door.

Jean’s smile grows wider. “We’ll make a detective of you yet! Yes — he was watching us, but pretending he wasn’t, and it did occur to me that it was a strange time of day for a gardener to be working. I realised I’d seen him in the function-room as well. Only briefly, but he was there, moving one of the floral displays. I didn’t get a clear look at his face, but from what I could see he matches the descriptions we have from the victims. I emailed a photo to DI Laxton, and the ball’s in her court.”

Jean might not do much in the way of hands-on police work these days, but Laura can definitely understand why she’s got to where she has. “Impressive work.”

As she parks the car close to the restaurant, Jean grins. “If you think that’s impressive...”

* * *

They’ve just finished their shared starter when Jean’s phone rings. She listens, makes a couple of generic responses, then hangs up. “Laxton. It was our man. Too soon to say whether he’s seriously disturbed, or just your run-of-the-mill homophobic nutcase. He’s got a whole wall full of anti-lesbian hate-propaganda in his flat, and since the arrest he’s done nothing but spout off about man-hating women who don’t know what’s good for them.”

“What’s good for them being him, presumably?” Laura suggests, one eyebrow raised.

“Presumably. Sadly for him, of course, many of us know better.” Jean’s gaze rests on Laura, her expression lingering appreciatively. “Including me. So... if I were to suggest another evening out, and _not_ , I hasten to add, to mingle with a room full of ambitious brown-nosers, would you be interested?”

Laura’s fingers slide from the stem of her wine-glass the inch or two it takes to brush against Jean’s knuckles. “I would indeed. And if I were to suggest dinner at my place over the weekend...?”

“I’d bring the wine,” Jean says instantly. “And dessert.”

* * *


End file.
